For the quarter ended November 2024, Darden Restaurants (DRI) reported revenue of $2.89 billion, up 6% over the same period last year. EPS came in at $2.03, compared to $1.84 in the year-ago quarter.
The reported revenue compares to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.88 billion, representing a surprise of +0.48%. The company delivered an EPS surprise of -0.98%, with the consensus EPS estimate being $2.05.
While investors scrutinize revenue and earnings changes year-over-year and how they compare with Wall Street expectations to determine their next move, some key metrics always offer a more accurate picture of a company's financial health.
As these metrics influence top- and bottom-line performance, comparing them to the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated helps investors project a stock's price performance more accurately.
Here is how Darden Restaurants performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:
- Same-restaurant sales - LongHorn Steakhouse - YoY change: 7.5% versus 4.3% estimated by 10 analysts on average.
- Same-restaurant sales - Olive Garden - YoY change: 2% versus the 10-analyst average estimate of 1.6%.
- Company-owned restaurants - Total: 2,152 compared to the 2,099 average estimate based on 10 analysts.
- Company-owned restaurants - Olive Garden: 925 versus the nine-analyst average estimate of 926.
- Same-restaurant sales - Consolidated - YoY change: 2.4% compared to the 1.7% average estimate based on nine analysts.
- Company-owned restaurants - LongHorn Steakhouse: 580 versus the nine-analyst average estimate of 580.
- Same-restaurant sales - Other Business - YoY change: 0.7% compared to the 0.7% average estimate based on eight analysts.
- Same-restaurant sales - Fine Dining - YoY change: -5.8% versus the eight-analyst average estimate of -1.7%.
- Company-owned restaurants - Bahama Breeze: 43 versus 44 estimated by seven analysts on average.
- Company-owned restaurants - Seasons 52: 45 versus the seven-analyst average estimate of 44.
- Sales- Other Business: $581.40 million compared to the $456.53 million average estimate based on six analysts. The reported number represents a change of +12.9% year over year.
- Sales- Fine Dining: $306 million versus the six-analyst average estimate of $336.19 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of -3.8%.
Shares of Darden Restaurants have returned -1.7% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's -0.3% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), indicating that it could perform in line with the broader market in the near term.
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